Russia Passes Internet Data Law

Russia's parliament has passed a law requiring Internet sites to store data of Russian citizens inside the country.

Under the law, from 2016 all Internet companies will have to move Russian
data onto servers based in Russia.

The Kremlin says the move is aimed at protecting data.

Critics say it is an attack on social networks, namely Facebook, Twitter, and
YouTube, all U.S.-based companies.

The State Duma action on July 4 comes after new rules requiring blogs
attracting more than 3,000 daily visits to register with a communications
watchdog and a regulation allowing websites to be shut without a court order.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the Internet a "CIA
project," but denies he is restricting web freedoms, claiming his main aim
was to protect children from indecent content.

Introducing the legislation earlier in the week, Russian lawmaker Vadim
Dengin said "most Russians don't want their data to leave Russia for the
United States, where it can be hacked and given to criminals."

"Our entire lives are stored over there," Dengin said.

Speaking to Reuters, Internet expert and blogger Anton Nossik claimed the
Kremlin wanted to create a legal pretext to shut down inconvenient voices.

"The ultimate goal is to shut mouths, enforce censorship in the country
and shape a situation where Internet business would not be able to exist and
function properly."

'Extremist' Websites

Earlier this year, the Kremlin adopted a law giving authorities power to
block websites deemed extremist or a threat to public order without a court
ruling.

Among the websites blockers were those of Kremlin critics Aleksei Navalny and
Gary Kasparov because they "contained calls for illegal activity."

Last month, a senior Twitter executive met the head of Russia's
communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, after it was asked to block a dozen
unspecified accounts.

A Twitter spokesman later said the company had not agreed to block any
accounts.

The State also broadened legislation on July 4 against incitement to
separatism.

The law forbidding public calls judged to threaten Russia's territorial
integrity had applied only to the news media.

But according to AFP, the law will now also cover ordinary bloggers, after
the Russian parliament passed amendments banning all public incitement to
separatism.

Analysts say the amended law could be aimed at those who disagree with
Putin's internationally unrecognized annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region back
in March.

"I believe this law is aimed at those who doubt that Crimea is
ours," said Alexander Verkhovsky, director of the Sova Center, an NGO based
in Moscow.

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